Infusion bag

ABSTRACT

In an infusion bag ( 1 ) with a draw string ( 11 ) threaded through an opening provided in the top part ( 2 ) of the bag ( 1 ), surrounding the infusion bag ( 1 ) in the longitudinal direction and by means of which the bag ( 1 ) can be squeezed, two openings ( 4  and  5 ) are produced in the top part ( 2 ) at a lateral distance from one another. The draw string ( 11 ) is threaded doubled through each of the openings ( 4, 5 ) thereby forming two loops ( 12, 13 ) which are connected together by an intermediate piece running along the top part ( 2 ). Furthermore, the sections ( 15, 16 ) of the draw string ( 11 ) which are in contact with the infusion bag ( 1 ) are threaded back through the loops ( 12, 13 ) and form the tension elements ( 17, 18 ).  
     The effect of this embodiment is that the draw string ( 11 ) can be attached to the infusion bag ( 1 ) without the need for metal staples and that the infusion bag ( 1 ) can be almost completely squeezed out using the draw string ( 11 ). Furthermore, tearing of the top part ( 2 ) of the infusion bag ( 1 ) is excluded even when considerable force is applied via the tension elements ( 17, 18 ).

[0001] The present invention relates to an infusion bag with a draw string threaded through an opening provided in the top part of the bag, surrounding the infusion bag in the longitudinal direction and by means of which the bag can be squeezed, with the draw string being threaded doubled through the opening in the top part and formed into a loop on one side of the infusion bag, with a section of the draw string leading away from the loop surrounding the infusion bag and passing back through the loop, and with additional sections of the draw string leading away from the loop and passing back through the loop each forming tensioning elements for squeezing the infusion bag.

[0002] An infusion bag of this type is described in DE 100 01 003 A1. In that embodiment, only a centrally arranged loop is provided in the top part of the infusion bag through which the draw string is passed once or, if necessary, also doubled, and is looped around the bag. Although the infusion bag can be squeezed out by pulling apart the tension elements of the draw string leading away from the infusion bag, the bag is merely divided into two rectangular chambers, or in the case of a double loop three triangular chambers, so that, amongst other aspects, no optimum squeezing out of the infusion bag can be achieved. The principal disadvantage of both embodiments is that considerable tension forces have to be exerted on the top part in the area of the opening used to create the loop, leading to the possibility of tearing and spillage of the contents of the infusion bag into the drink which is being prepared, so in such cases the drink needs additional treatment.

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is consequently to develop an infusion bag of the aforementioned type in such a way that not only can the draw string be attached to it without the need for metal staples and the possibility be provided of completely squeezing out the infusion bag using the draw string, but also that the infusion bag is to be divided into several equally size holding chambers. However, the principle purpose is to ensure that the possibility of tearing the top part of the infusion bag will be practically excluded even when considerable force is applied to the tension elements. As a result, handling is to be further facilitated for the purposes of infusing an infusion using the infusion bag while the infused tea should not be impaired by foreign objects as is the case with the embodiment according to prior art.

[0004] In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in an infusion bag of the aforementioned type in that two openings are produced in the top part of the infusion bag at a lateral distance from one another and, in a preferred embodiment, at the same height, that the draw string is threaded doubled through each of the openings thereby forming two loops which are connected together by an intermediate piece running along the top part of the infusion bag, and that the sections of the draw string which are in contact with the infusion bag are threaded back through the loops and form the tension elements.

[0005] It is advantageous in this case for the lateral distance from the two openings to the longitudinal edges of the infusion bag to be selected such that, with the sections of the draw string running parallel to the longitudinal edges of the infusion bag, the infusion bag will be divided into three approximately equally sized segments when it is squeezed together.

[0006] In a different arrangement of the draw string, it can be threaded through the two loops and through the area of the base of the infusion bag in such a way that the sections of the draw string are crossed over on one side of the infusion bag and run in parallel to the longitudinal edges of the bag on the other side, or that the sections of the draw string are crossed over on both sides of the infusion bag. However, it is also possible for the draw strings to be threaded through the two loops and the area of the base of the infusion bag in such a way that the sections of the draw string form a triangle on both sides of the infusion bag.

[0007] In order to guide the draw string in the area of the base of the infusion bag, it is possible to provide two penetrations, which are preferably located at about the same distance from the edges as the openings which form the loops, or in the case where the segments of the draw string form a triangle, to have one opening arranged in the middle.

[0008] The two tension elements of the draw string can be jointly connected to a tag, terminated with individual tags or knotted together.

[0009] If a draw string is attached to one of the infusion bags in accordance with the present invention, then it becomes a simple matter to squeeze out the infusion bag without requiring any additional means and therefore to force almost all of the residual liquid out of the bag. To achieve this, it is merely necessary to pull apart the tension elements of the draw string leading away from the top part. Because the drawstring is looped twice around the infusion bag in a longitudinal direction and with a lateral distance between its sections, thereby dividing the bag into three segments, the infusion bag is therefore squeezed tightly in a double arrangement and its volume is reduced without the need to use any other equipment.

[0010] Each drawstring is held onto the infusion bag without needing any additional equipment, therefore the flavour of the tea is not impaired and adulterated by any metal objects whilst the tea is being infused. Furthermore, the infusion bag is not damaged when it is squeezed together since no lateral forces are exerted on the bag when the two tension elements of the draw string are pulled apart; instead, these forces are absorbed by the loops through which the tension elements are threaded. The principal advantage of this embodiment lies in the fact that the arrangement of two loops means that the tension forces to be absorbed are halved in a certain respect. Consequently, damage to the top part of the infusion bag when it is squeezed out can be reliably avoided even when considerable forces are exerted. Accordingly, the manufacture of an infusion bag and its handling when infusing drinks is significantly simplified at very little complexity in production. Also, the draw string can easily be attached to any type of infusion bag.

[0011] The drawing shows several sample embodiments of an infusion bag configured in accordance with the present invention, the details of which are explained below. In the drawing,

[0012]FIG. 1 shows an infusion bag with two loops provided in its top part and a draw string looped twice around the bag,

[0013]FIG. 2 shows the infusion bag in accordance with FIG. 1 after being squeezed together,

[0014]FIG. 3 shows an infusion bag in which the draw string looped around it is threaded in the area of the base and

[0015] FIGS. 4 to 6 show the infusion bag in accordance with FIG. 3, with different arrangements of drawstrings.

[0016] The infusion bags shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 and identified by 1 or 1′ are configured in different ways, with each possessing a top part 2 or 2′ to which a draw string 11 is attached. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a tag 21 is attached to the ends of the draw string 11, whereas in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 both ends of the draw string 11 have their own tag 21′, 21″.

[0017] In order to attach the draw string 11, two openings 4 and 5 in the form of holes are produced in the top part 2 or 2′ of the infusion bag 1 or 1′, and the draw string 11 is threaded twice through these openings 4 and 5 to form loops 12 or 13. The two sections 15 and 16 of the draw string 11 which are connected together by a section 14 in contact with the top part 2 or 2′ of the infusion bag 1 or 1′ are looped around the infusion bag 1 or 1′, indeed around the base 3 of the bag, starting from and returning to the loops 12 or 13 before continuing some distance from the infusion bag 1 or 1′ and being attached to the tag 21 or to two halves of a perforated or cut tag 21′ or 21″ which can easily be divided into two. As a result, the sections 15 and 16 leading away from the infusion bag 1 or 1′ form the tension elements 17 and 18.

[0018] When, following infusion of the infusion bag 1 or 1′, the two tension elements 17 and 18 of the draw string 11 leading away from the bag are pulled apart as shown in FIG. 2, the sections 15 and 16 of the draw string looped around the infusion bag 1 or 1′ are reduced in length. The infusion bag 1 or 1′ is therefore squeezed together so that the liquid remaining in the bag is forced out without the need for additional equipment. Since this procedure can easily be accomplished over a container, not only is almost complete benefit obtained from the flavourings in the tea contained in the infusion bag 1 or 1′, but also the inconvenience of having the infusion bag 1 or 1″ dripping liquid onto surfaces during its disposal can be avoided.

[0019] In order to prevent the draw string 11 slipping out of its lateral position on the infusion bag 1′, in particular during transport and/or storage of the bag, two penetrations 6 and 7 are produced in the area of the base 3′ of the infusion bag 1′, as shown in FIG. 3, and the sections 15 and 16 are threaded through these penetrations 6 and 7. In this embodiment, the penetrations 6 and 7 are arranged at approximately the same distance from the longitudinal edges of the infusion bag 1′ as are the two openings 4 and 5, with the distances being chosen so that when the infusion bag 1′ is squeezed together it forms three approximately evenly sized chambers. Sections 15 and 16 therefore run approximately parallel to the longitudinal edges of the infusion bag 1 and slippage of the draw string 11 is prevented even given incorrect handling.

[0020] As a result, the draw string 11 can be used for squeezing out different embodiments of infusion bags 1 or 1′ without the need for exerting considerable forces on the bag in the area of openings 4 and 5. Instead, the tension forces are fully vectored into the draw string 11 by means of the loops 12 and 13 without placing any strain on the infusion bag seal, thereby ensuring that the infusion bag 1 is almost completely squeezed out when tension elements 17 and 18 are pulled apart.

[0021] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the sections 15 and 16 of the draw string 11 are threaded through the loops 12 and 13 and through the penetrations 6 and 7 produced in the area of the base 3′ of the infusion bag 1′ in such a way that the sections 15 and 16 are arranged in parallel to the longitudinal edges of the infusion bag 1′ on one side of the bag and are crossed over on the other side. However, as shown in FIG. 5, a crossed-over arrangement of the sections 15 and 16 on both sides of the infusion bag 1′ is also possible.

[0022] In the infusion bag 1′ shown in FIG. 6, only one penetration 8 is provided in the middle of the base 3′ of the bag, and both sections 15 and 16 of the draw string 11 are threaded and looped back through this penetration 8. Consequently, the draw string 11 forms a loop around the infusion bag 1′ on both sides in the form of a triangle. 

1. Infusion bag (1) with a draw string (11) threaded through an opening provided in the top part (2) of the bag (1), surrounding the infusion bag (1) in the longitudinal direction and by means of which the bag (1) can be squeezed, with the draw string (11) being threaded doubled through the opening in the top part (2) and formed into a loop on one side of the infusion bag (1), with a section of the draw string (11) leading away from the loop surrounding the infusion bag (1) and passing back through the loop, and with additional sections of the draw string (11) leading away from the loop and passing back through the loop each forming tensioning elements for squeezing the infusion bag (1), characterised in that, two openings (4, 5) are produced in the top part (2) of the infusion bag (1) at a lateral distance from one another and, in a preferred embodiment, at the same height, that the draw string (11) is threaded doubled through each of the openings (4, 5) thereby forming two loops (12, 13) which are connected together by an intermediate piece (14) running along the top part (2) of the infusion bag (1), and that the sections (15, 16) of the draw string (11) which are in contact with the infusion bag (11) are threaded back through the loops (12, 13) and form the tension elements (17, 18).
 2. The infusion bag in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that, the lateral distance from the two openings (4, 5) to the longitudinal edges of the infusion bag (1) is selected such that, with the sections (15, 16) of the draw string (11) running parallel to the longitudinal edges of the infusion bag (1), the infusion bag (1) will be divided into three approximately equally sized segments when it is squeezed together.
 3. The infusion bag in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that, the draw string (11) is threaded through the two loops (12, 13) and through the area of the base (3′) of the infusion bag (1′) in such a way that the sections (15, 16) of the draw string (11) are crossed over on one side of the infusion bag (1) and run in parallel to its longitudinal axis on the other side.
 4. The infusion bag in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that, the draw string (11) is threaded through the two loops (12, 13) and through the area of the base (3′) of the infusion bag (1′) in such a way that the draw string (11) is crossed over on both sides of the infusion bag (1′).
 5. The infusion bag in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that, the draw string (11) is threaded through the two loops (12, 13) and through the area of the base (3′) of the infusion bag (1′) in such a way that the sections (15, 16) of the draw string (11) are arranged in the form of a triangle on both sides of the infusion bag (1′).
 6. The infusion bag in accordance with one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that, in order to guide the draw string (11) in the area of the base (3′) of the infusion bag (1), it is possible to provide two penetrations (6, 7), which are preferably located at about the same distance from the edges as the openings (4, 5) which form the loops (12, 13), or in the case where the segments (15, 16) of the draw string (11) form a triangle, to have one opening (8) arranged in the middle.
 7. The infusion bag in accordance with one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that, the two tension elements (17, 18) of the draw string (11) are jointly connected to a tag (21), terminated with individual tags (21′, 21″) or knotted together. 